Segment Results
Heavy Materials: Cement, Concrete and Aggregates
Revenue in the Heavy Materials sector, which includes Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, and Joint Venture and intersegment Cement revenue, was $194.2 million, a 3% decline. Heavy Materials operating earnings decreased 14% to $48.2 million primarily because of higher operating costs within the Cement segment and unusually wet weather that affected both our Cement and Concrete and Aggregates businesses.
Cement revenue, including Joint Venture and intersegment revenue, was up 1% to $163.7 million, reflecting improved net sales prices and sales volume. The average net sales price for the quarter improved 1% to $107.54 per ton. Cement sales volume for the quarter was 1.3 million tons, a slight improvement versus the prior year.
Operating earnings from Cement were $47.2 million, 10% below the same quarter a year ago. The earnings decline was primarily due to higher maintenance costs. We performed two maintenance outages within our Cement group and installed upgraded emission control equipment. These two outages increased maintenance costs and reduced production output for the quarter.
Concrete and Aggregates revenue for the third quarter was $30.5 million, a decrease of 21%. Third quarter operating earnings were $1.0 million, a 70% decline, reflecting lower sales volume partially offset by improved concrete pricing. Our primary concrete and aggregates markets experienced heavier rainfall than typical during the quarter, which hampered their ability to move product.
Light Materials: Gypsum Wallboard and Paperboard
Revenue in the Light Materials sector, which includes Gypsum Wallboard and Paperboard, decreased 5% to $153.8 million. The decline reflects lower wallboard and paperboard sales volume partially offset by improved wallboard net sales prices. The average Gypsum Wallboard net sales price was $159.38 per MSF, a 5% improvement. Gypsum Wallboard sales volume was 653 million square feet (MMSF), down approximately 8%. The decline in wallboard sales volume versus the prior-year period was primarily due to a shift in the timing ofpre-buying activity ahead of our winter wallboard price increase. In the prior year, our price increase was scheduled for early January; therefore, thepre-buy activity increased December 2017 shipments.
The average Paperboard net sales price this quarter was $519.29 per ton, down 11%, consistent with the pricing provisions in our long-term sales agreements. Paperboard sales volume for the quarter was down 9% reflecting the change in wallboard shipment activity.
Operating earnings were $51.0 million in the sector, an increase of 1%, reflecting improved wallboard net sales prices and lower operating costs. The reduced operating costs primarily reflected lower recycled fiber costs during the quarter.
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